A Rutgers-Eagleton poll finds that most New Jersey residents are treated by private physicians, but they're open to other options.
3 percent say they go to an urgent care facility for treatment all of the time, while 46 percent do some of the time.
Linda Schwimmer is the President and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. She says urgent care centers are a better alternative than an E-R when your doctor's unavailable.
"It's a lot more cost effective, you have a shorter waiting period, and they are good at connecting back to your primary care doctor who can then really manage your care on an ongoing basis."
Schwimmer believes more patients would visit urgent care centers if they accepted Medicaid.
She hopes the survey is a step toward designing health benefits plans people will buy and use.
“I think anything that can cover services to keep people out of the emergency room and to make it more convenient for getting the care that they need rather than putting it off is going to be better for New Jerseyans overall.”